‘Star Trek 2’ Confirmed To Have Slipped From Summer 2012
The train for the “G.I. Joe” sequel “G.I. Joe: Cobra Strikes” keeps on barreling forward: it’s only a few days since D.J. Cotrona and RZA came on board the pared-down, recast sequel to the 2009 toy adaptation, and now another no-offence-but-not-exactly-A-list actor has signed on, with Deadline reporting that “Friday Night Lights” veteran Adrianne Palicki has signed on to next summer’s follow-up, which “Step-Up 3D” and “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” director Jon Chu is helming.
Palicki won acclaim for her role on the Peter Berg-produced NBC series, but hasn’t had much luck since leaving the show in season 3: she made her Hollywood debut in the abominable “Legion,” starred in the “Red Dawn” remake which is still gathering dust in the MGM vaults, had a lead in the series “Lone Star,” which was cancelled after two episodes, and played “Wonder Woman” in another NBC pilot that didn’t get picked up. Good for her for landing a summer tentpole then, and as the female lead no less: Palicki will play Lady Jaye, the team’s covert ops specialist, who has relationship with Cotrona’s character Flint, joining the returning Channing Tatum, Ray Park, Byung Hun Lee and Jonathan Pryce, plus new arrivals Cotrona, RZA, Dwayne Johnson and Elodie Yung.
It seems like at least one big name actor is being sought for a role, though, to balance out the TV-pilot caliber of most of the rest of the cast; the script (from “Zombieland” writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick) includes General Joe Colton, the original G.I. Joe, and Deadline says that Bruce Willis tops the list of actors who are being chased for the part. At least it’s not another 50 Cent movie, right?
As a side note, Deadline also confirm what’s long been suspected: that an unfinished script, and J.J. Abrams‘ reluctance to commit to the director’s chair, means that “Star Trek 2,” previously slated for release on June 29th, 2012, has been delayed, one of the reasons that Paramount are so keen to get ‘Cobra Strikes’ going swiftly, as it, along with Brad Pitt vehicle “World War Z,” are intended to fill the void left by Abrams’ “Star Trek” film. For the moment, “G.I. Joe: Cobra Strikes” is set for release on August 10th, 2012, but we suppose it could be moved up to the June slot that’s now been vacated.
